Wayne Homes Slated for Demolition Saved (For Now)

Two houses that were slated for demolition years ago are getting a stay of execution.

In 2008, Radnor Township’s Board of Commissioners approved a plan by Norcini Builders to demolish 212 and 216 Bloomingdale Avenue and construct five homes in their place.

That decision and a decision by the Historic and Architecture Review Board (HARB) were legally challenged by a number of neighbors, but this year the plaintiffs settled on a plan with the new owner of the properties that may give the buildings a second chance.

New owner Greg Lingo, a builder who lives around the corner from the properties and who has done a number of renovations in his South Wayne neighborhood, is currently fixing up both buildings, which contain rental units.

Lingo and South Wayne resident Baron Gemmer, who headed the group of plaintiffs, crafted an agreement that prohibits 212 from being demolished before five years’ time and 216 from being torn down before 10 years’ time. The agreement includes an approval of a plan to subdivide the 212 property to create three homes, but only if Lingo uses the specific subdivision plan approved in the settlement.

If Lingo or any other builder wanted to redevelop the 216 property, it would be more than challenging—a new lot line created makes the property much smaller than it was, and demolishing the home would cause certain zoning non-conformities to be lost.

Lingo has no "right" to demolish 216. In fact, Gemmer said, that property "currently has more legal restrictions against its demolition than probably any other property in the three HARB districts."

Still, in the end, the two homes could very well turn into four. So, was the settlement successful in Gemmer’s eyes? He says yes.

First, the houses are getting fixed up right now, which was part of the settlement and helps the neighborhood. It also means a future would-be developer will not be able to use the argument that Norcini did—that the buildings were dilapidated. Also, four homes is one fewer than the five proposed, Gemmer said.

If Lingo wants to build new homes on the properties he will have to go in front of the HARB for architectural approval because they are located in one of Radnor’s historic districts.

“I think he would do more than an adequate job,” Gemmer said of Lingo. “He and I developed a pretty good trust during the negotiating process. I had faith that what he was saying would come to fruition.” Gemmer’s fellow plaintiffs agreed with him and all signed off on the agreement.

Lingo purchased the properties in December, 2012. If he goes ahead with his pre-approved subdivision, the plaintiffs are not allowed to oppose it, according to the settlement, but they will be able to comment on it.

If Lingo or any future owner wants to do a different subdivision plan, they still have to follow the other parts of the agreement (including the 5 and 10 year demolition moratoriums), but would be starting a new subdivision plan from scratch with none of the development rights (including the demolition of 212) that go with the agreed-upon subdivision in the settlement, Gemmer said.

“Today my intent is to keep them in their current use and fix them up,” Lingo told Radnor Patch. But will he tear them down after five and 10 years? “Not necessarily… My intention was to buy them as investment properties and fix them up.”

“The houses are great, the neighborhood’s great,” Lingo said. “It’s another opportunity to take dilapidated buildings and try to better it as a neighbor.”